Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology

H. Steve White

Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology

H. Steve WhiteTitle: Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Email address: swhite@hsc.utah.edu

Education and Training:

  • B.S. 1977, Idaho State University
  • M.S. 1979, Idaho State University
  • Ph.D. 1984, University of Utah


Research Interests:

Dr. White is the principal investigator and scientific director of the NIH-sponsored Anticonvulsant Drug Development Program that was established in 1975 to identify novel anticonvulsant drugs using established animal seizure and epilepsy models. Over the years, the efforts of this program have contributed to the successful development of nine new antiepileptic drugs for the treatment of refractory partial epilepsy. Dr. White’s research is focused on understanding the factors which contribute to the initiation, propagation, and amelioration of seizure activity. Dr. White’s laboratory utilizes a variety of in vivo and in vitro model systems to identify and characterize the anticonvulsant profile and potential mechanism of action of established and new antiepileptic drugs. In addition, ongoing investigations in Dr. White’s laboratory are focused on understanding the pathophysiology and genetics of sound-induced seizures in the audiogenic seizure-susceptible Frings mouse and the influence of genetics on seizure-susceptibility and antiepileptic drug pharmacology. In addition to their efforts at identifying new therapies for the symptomatic treatment of partial epilepsy, Dr. White’s laboratory is conducting research that may aid in the identification of disease modifying therapies that halt, slow, or prevent the development of epilepsy in susceptible individuals. Dr. White also participates in a recently funded Drugs of Abuse Program Project Grant as director of a project aimed at identifying the mechanisms that contribute to the proconvulsant properties of methamphetamine and cocaine.

Students working in Dr. White’s laboratory have multiple opportunities to contribute to a broad-based research program aimed at gaining a further understanding of the factors that contribute to the expression and prevention of seizure activity. The results obtained from these investigations are likely to lead to the design and development of more efficacious and less toxic therapies for the prevention and treatment of epilepsy.

Selected Publications:

  • White, H.S. , Franklin, M.R., Kupferberg, H.J., Schmutz, M., Stables, J.P. and Wolf, H.H. The anticonvulsant profile of rufinamide (CG) 33101) in rodent seizure models. Epilepsia, 49(7):1212-1220, 2008.
  • Bulaj, G., Green, B.R., Lee, H.K., Robertson, C.R., White , K., Zjang, L., Sochanska, M., Flynn, S.P., Scholl, E.A., Pruess, T.H., Smith, M.D. and White H.S. Design, synthesis, and characterization of high-affinity, systemically-active galanin analogues with potent anticonvulsant activities. J Med Chem., 51(24):8038-47, 2008.
  • Statler, K.D., Swank, S., Abildskov, T., Bigler, E.D. and White H.S. Traumatic brain injury during development reduces minimal clonic seizure threshold at maturity. Epilepsy Res., 80(2-3):163-70, 2008.
  • Singh, N.A., Otto, J.F., Dahle, E.J., Pappas, C., Leslie, J.D., Vilaythong, A., Noebels, J.L., White, H.S. , Wilcox, K.S. and Leppert, M.F. Mouse models of human KDNQ2 and KCNQ3 mutations for benign familial neonatal convulsions show seizures and neuronal plasticity without synaptic reorganization. J Physiol., 586(14):3405-23, 2008.
  • Libbey, J.E., Kirkman, N.J., Smith, M.C., Tanaka, T., Wilcox, K.S., White, H.S. and Fujinami, R.S. Seizures following picornavirus infection. Epilepsia, 49(6):1066-74, 2008.
  • Smith, M.D., Saunders, G.W., Clausen, R.P, Frolund, B., Krogsgaard-Larsen, P., Larsson, O.M., Schousboe, A., Wilcox, K.S. and White, H.S. Inhibition of the betaine-GABA transporter (mGAT2/BGT-1) modulates spontaneous electrographic bursting in the medial entorhinal cortex (mEC). Epilepsy Res., 79(1):6-13, 2008.
  • Bulaj, G, Green, BR, Lee, HK, Robertson, CR, White , K, Zhang, L, Sochanska, M, Flynn, SP, Scholl, EA, Pruess, TH, Smith, MD, White, HS. Design, synthesis, and characterization of high-affinity, systemically-active galanin analogues with potent anticonvulsant activities. J Med Chem., 51 (24): 8038-8047, 2008.
  • Bialer, M., Johannessen, S.I., Levy, R.H., Perucca, E., Tomson, T. and White, H.S. Progress report on new antiepileptic drugs: A summary of the Ninth Eilat Conference (EILAT IX). Epilepsy Res., 83(1):1-43, 2009.
  • White, H.S. , Scholl, E.A., Klein, B.D., Flynn, S.P., Pruess, T.H., Green, B.R., Zhang, L., Bulaj, G.. Developing Novel Antiepileptic Drugs: Characterization of NAX 5055, a Systemically-Active Galanin Analog, in Epilepsy Models. The American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics, 2009.
  • Zhang L., Robertson C.R., Green B.R., Pruess T.H., White H.S., Bulaj G. Structural Requirements for a Lipoamino Acid in Modulating the Anticonvulsant Activities of Systemically Active Galanin Analogues. J Med Chem., 2009.
  • Zhang L., Lee H.K., Pruess T.H., White H.S. , Bulaj G. Synthesis and applications of polyamine amino acid residues: improving the bioactivity of an analgesic neuropeptide, neurotensin. J Med Chem., 52 (6): 1514-1517, 2009.
  • Madsen, K.K., Clausen, R.P., Larsson, O.M., Krogsgaard-Larsen, P., Schousboe, A., White, H.S. Synaptic and extrasynaptic GABA transporters as targets for anti-epileptic drugs. J Neurochem., 109:139-144, 2009.
  • Otto JF, Singh NA, Dahle EJ, Leppert MF, Pappas CM, Pruess TH, Wilcox KS, White HS. Electroconvulsive seizure thresholds and kindling acquisition rates are altered in mouse models of human Kcnq2 and Kcnq3 mutations for benign familial neonatal convulsions. Epilepsia. 2009 Apr 27. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 19453707.
  • Statler KD, Scheerlinck P, Pouliot W, Hamilton M, , White HS , Dudek FE. A potential model of pediatric posttraumatic epilepsy. Epilepsy Res. 2009 Jun 9. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 19520549.
  • Henshall DC, Dürmüller N, White HS , Williams R, Moser P, Dunleavy M, Silverstone PH. Electroencephalographic and behavioral convulsant effects of hydrobromide and hydrochloride salts of bupropion in conscious rodents. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2009;5:189-206. Epub 2009 Apr 8. PubMed PMID:19557114; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2695230.
  • Lee HK, Smith MD, Smith BJ, Grussendorf J, Xu L, Gillies RJ, White HS , Bulaj G. Anticonvulsant Met-Enkephalin Analogues Containing Backbone Spacers Reveal Alternative Non-Opioid Signaling in the Brain. ACS Chem Biol. 2009 Jul 27. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 19634861.
  • Kirkman Nikki J., Libbey Jane E., Wilcox Karen S., White Steve H., Fujinami Robert S. Innate but Not Adaptive Immune Responses Contribute to Behavioral Seizures Following Viral Infection. Epilepsia, 2009 Oct 20. [Epub ahead of print] 2009.
  • Frankel, W.N., Taylor, L., Beyer, B., Tempel, B.L., and White, H.S. Electroconvulsive thresholds of inbred mouse strains. Genomics, 74(3):306-312, 2001.
  • Skradski, S.L., Clark, A.M., Jiang, H., White, H.S., Fu, Y-H., and Ptacek, L.J. A novel gene causing a Mendelian audiogenic mouse epilepsy. Neuron, 31:537-544, 2001.
  • Isoherranen, N., Woodhead, J.H., White, H.S. and Bialer, M. Anticonvulsant profile of valrocemide (TV1901): A new antiepileptic drug. Epilepsia, 42(7):831-836, 2001.
  • Barton, M.E., Klein, B.D., Wolf, H.H., and White, H.S. Pharmacological characterization of the 6 Hz psychomotor seizure model of partial epilepsy. Epilepsy Res., 47:217-227, 2001.
  • Isoherranen, N., White, H.S., Finnell, R.H., Yagen, B., Woodhead, J.H., Bennett, G.D., Wilcox, K.S., Barton, M.E. and Bialer, M. Anticonvulsant profile and teratogenicity of N-methyl-tetramethylcyclopropyl carboxamide: A new antiepileptic drug. Epilepsia, 43(2):115-126, 2002.
  • Rho, J.M., Anderson, G.D., Donevan, S.D. and White, H.S. Acetoacetate, acetone, and dibenzylamine (a contaminant in 1-(+)-beta-hydroxybutyrate) exhibit direct anticonvulsant actions in vivo. Epilepsia, 43(4):358-361, 2002.
  • Walker, M.C., White, H.S. and Saner, J.W.A.S. Disease modification in partial epilepsy. Brain 2002 (Sept) 129:1937-1950.
  • White, H.S., Sarup A., Bolvig, T., Kristensen, A.S., Petersen, G., Nelson, N., Pickering, D.S., Larsson, O.M., Frolund, B., Krogsgaard-Larsen, P. and Schousboe, A. Corrrelation between Anticonvulsant Activity and Inhibitory Action on Glial gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Uptake of the Highly Selective Mouse gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Transporter 1 Inhibitor 3-Hydroxy-4-amino-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1,2-benzisoxazole and Its N-Alkylated Analogs. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2002 Aug.;302(2):646-644.